


Tradition

by TheScholarlyStrumpet (equipoise)



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Christmas Fluff, Dark Castle, F/M, Ficlet, Fluff, Mini-Fic, UST
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-06
Updated: 2015-11-06
Packaged: 2018-04-30 08:36:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 212
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5157233
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/equipoise/pseuds/TheScholarlyStrumpet
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rumbelle Secret Santa prompted a "Trim the Tree" ficlet and I just really enjoyed writing this. </p><p>Dark Castle Rumbelle. Pure fluff.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tradition

“This is ridiculous”

“It’s a Yuletide tradition,” Belle chided gently, still kneeling by the lower branches.

“It’s getting sap everywhere,” Rumplestiltskin grumbled.

Belle rolled her eyes and turned back to the tree, snipping away the final strays. “Well, I’ll be the one to clean it up, anyway. What does it matter to you?”

With no other answer at the ready, her Master continued to mutter and fuss under his breath. Ignoring him, Belle fastened red ribbons to the ends of various branches. At length, she stood back to survey her work.

“Why bother with this nonsense?” He was unnervingly close to her ear when he spoke this time and Belle nearly jumped.

“Be-because it makes me happy,” she replied simply, without turning to face him. She could feel his warmth at her back. So close he was nearly touching her. Her stomach was doing that fluttering, twisting thing it often did these days when he was near. She closed her eyes as his breath tickled her neck.

“I see,” he said, his high pitched trill slipping to a lower tone for just a moment.

And then he was gone.

But he didn’t magic the tree away. And the next day, a few strands of gold thread had appeared to adorn its branches.


End file.
